August 2008 - Flashman and the Dragon by George MacDonald Fraser

[diamondlil]

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Discuss Flashman and the Dragon by George MacDonald Fraser in this thread.

[Margaret]

Aha! Now I know why I put this book on hold at the library. I did want to read a Flashman, and I was wondering why I didn't start with the first one in the series.

[diamondlil]

The lightbulb comes on. I do have this here on my TBR shelf, and I will get there but it won't be this month,

[Lintalee]

I'm too late for the August reading, but if anyone is still interested, Robert Messenger wrote a moving remembrance piece about Fraser in the January 17 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

You can find a summary of the article in my July 11 blog posting at www.historyintofiction.com (http://www.historyintofiction.com).

[MLE]

I must say I got bogged down on Flashman and the Redskins about half-way through. What was funny and new at the beginning started to get boring and old after a while.

[diamondlil]

I am nearly finished this book and I have to say that I really unsure of what I think of it in some ways.

I have enjoyed it. I have laughed out loud several times. I love all the notes and appendices and additional info that is provided, and how close to actual history the story seems to be.

I did go into the book expecting it to be non-PC, but there have been moments when I have cringed at some aspects because it is very, very non PC. I get that he is a man of his time, but there were just a couple of instances of things going too far if you know what I mean.

It has also taken me ages to read, not only due to the book but because I drove a couple of days instead of taking the train and had a couple of days off. I think part of it is having to concentrate more because it is a very different kind of book for me.

[Volgadon]

This is actually my least favourite Flashy of all.

[Alaric]

It's not my favourite either even though I nominated it.

At the Charge has that one wrapped up.

[Volgadon]

At the Charge IS my favourite!!!

[diamondlil]

Let me ask this question then. I really don't like reading a series out of order, so I broke my own rule to read this one first. If I am going to continue reading the series, I would want to start at the beginning. Are the earlier books in the series worth reading?

[Alaric]

The first one, Flashman, is excellent. I didn't like Royal Flash as much, but the next few after that are top notch. Flashman at the Charge is easily one of the top five novels I have ever read.

[Volgadon]

The earlier books are fantastic. There is a very bad bit in the first one, but it fits the times.